Taken on October 4, 2025, this image shows local villagers using oxen and horses to ascend Mount Everest’s slopes in Tibet as part of rescue efforts to reach hundreds of trekkers stranded by intense snowfall at high-altitude camps on October 5, 2025.
Lingsuiye/AP/Xinhua
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Lingsuiye/AP/Xinhua
BEIJING – Nearly 900 individuals, including trekkers, guides, and support personnel, who were caught in a sudden snowstorm on the Chinese side of Mount Everest, have now been safely evacuated, according to reports from state media on Tuesday evening.
The blizzard hit the region late Saturday, isolating the hikers who were camping at elevations exceeding 4,900 meters (approximately 16,000 feet), making access to their location impossible.
In total, approximately 580 climbers along with over 300 Sherpas, yak herders, and other staff were trapped. By midday Monday, around 350 trekkers had managed to descend, with the remainder safely evacuated by Tuesday, as confirmed by local authorities through state media.
Several hikers suffered from hypothermia, prompting rescue teams to escort about a dozen individuals to designated safe zones, providing them with essential supplies such as food, medical aid, warmth, and oxygen tanks, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
The Mount Everest tourist zone in Tibet has been temporarily shut down following the incident. The mountain, towering at 8,850 meters (29,000 feet), is the tallest peak globally and lies along the border between China and Nepal.
This severe weather event occurred during a weeklong national holiday concluding on Wednesday, a period when many Chinese citizens travel domestically and internationally to commemorate the founding of the Communist Party on October 1, 1949.
Meanwhile, in Nepal, a South Korean climber tragically lost their life during a weekend storm near the summit of Mera Peak, a 6,476-meter (21,250-foot) mountain located south of Everest.
Additional early-season snowstorms impacted other parts of western China over the weekend, resulting in one fatality and leaving motorists stranded on icy roads near popular hiking destinations.
In Qinghai province’s remote Qilian Mountains, over 200 people were airlifted from a rugged valley after being stranded. Unfortunately, one individual succumbed to hypothermia and altitude sickness.
Authorities have since restricted access to this undeveloped region, warning visitors about the challenging terrain, volatile weather conditions, and the high average elevation exceeding 4,000 meters (13,000 feet).
Similarly, in Xinjiang’s northwest, the Kanas scenic area was closed following a snowstorm on Sunday that left drivers stuck on a nearby highway. By Monday, the road was cleared, as reported by state media.
